By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof. Dantani Wushishi, has been elected Vice-President of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA).

The development was contained in a statement issued by Azeez Sani, Acting Director, Information and Public Relations, NECO, on Friday in Abuja.

Sani said Nigeria had also secured the hosting rights for the 2027 AEAA Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Abuja from Aug. 16 to Aug. 20, 2027.

He said the decisions were endorsed by the AEAA General Assembly at the just-concluded 42nd Conference of the association held in Arusha, Tanzania.

According to him, the twin developments reflect the growing recognition of Nigeria’s influence in educational assessment at a time when the sector is experiencing rapid digital transformation and the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into testing and certification.

Sani explained that Wushishi’s election followed his previous service on the AEAA Executive Council, where he represented the West African sub-region.

He added that since assuming office as NECO Registrar in 2021, Wushishi had introduced and supervised several reforms aimed at modernising examination administration and improving the efficiency of the council’s operations.

The reforms, he said, included the expansion of NECO’s technological infrastructure and the broadening of its international presence through increased engagement beyond Nigeria.

According to him, NECO examinations are currently conducted in eight foreign countries, demonstrating the council’s expanding reach and its growing relevance in the international examination community.

He said the hosting of the 2027 AEAA Conference would provide Nigeria with an important platform to showcase its ongoing reforms and innovations in educational assessment.

“The conference is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, examination administrators, education experts and other stakeholders from across Africa to deliberate on emerging trends and challenges in educational assessment.”

Sani said Wushishi was born on April 5, 1965, in Wushishi, Niger State, and is a scholar of Science Education with specialisation in Chemistry Education.

Before his appointment as NECO Registrar, Wushishi built an academic career at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and the Federal University of Technology, Minna, where he contributed to teaching, research and academic administration.

He also held several leadership positions in the university system, including Head of Department, Postgraduate Coordinator and Sub-Dean, experiences that contributed to his administrative and leadership development.

Sani further disclosed that Wushishi’s reappointment as NECO Registrar by President Bola Tinubu earlier in 2026 was widely regarded as an endorsement of his technological and administrative reforms at the council.

He said the latest developments in Arusha had further strengthened Nigeria’s standing within Africa’s educational assessment community and underscored the country’s ambition to become a leading voice in the continent’s evolving examination landscape. (NAN)

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